Upper Pajaro River Watershed One Water Plan

A road map to manage our water resources

ONE WATER VISION

To manage Santa Clara County water resources holistically and sustainably to benefit people and the environment in a way that is informed by community values.

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The One Water Plan integrates the water supply, flood protection, and stream stewardship missions of Valley Water at the watershed scale. Drawing from detailed existing programs and plans, One Water seeks to find the nexus between these three mission components for new opportunities in integrated water resources management. One Water does not replace the substantial existing planning in place by Valley Water's Water Utility Enterprise and the Watersheds Division but instead looks for opportunities to further protect and enhance water resources.

Upper Pajaro River Watershed One Water Plan

Increasing demands on California’s water resources call for an integrated and equitable approach to water resources management. This integrated approach is reflected in Valley Water’s mission, which is to provide Silicon Valley with safe, clean water for a healthy life, environment, and economy. To accomplish this mission, the Valley Water Board of Directors adopted Governance Policies that guide all Valley Water work and decision-making processes.

However, as water management challenges continue to exacerbate due to climate change, urban growth pressures, agricultural water supply challenges, and other continuously changing conditions, Valley Water was in need of a more structured decision-making process to strategically allocate limited resources to those actions that will help it achieve its mission and service to the community most effectively. This is how the One Water planning effort was born.

The One Water planning effort consists of two phases: 1) a Countywide framework to develop the vision, goals, and objectives as guidance for watershed-based planning, and 2) Watershed level plans specific to each of the five watersheds located within Santa Clara County. The initial version of the One Water Santa Clara Countywide Framework (One Water Framework) was completed in 2022. The One Water Upper Pajaro River Watershed Plan (Plan) is the second of five watershed plans that will encompass and complement the on-going One Water planning effort. The One Water Framework serves as guidance for this Plan. It is important to note that the One Water planning effort is not designed to be a static, one-time effort with supporting documentation that becomes outdated and irrelevant. It is meant to be a living document with regular updates made in response to changing conditions, which will adapt and allocate resources where needed the most.

This Plan analyzes the Upper Pajaro River Watershed’s flooding, water supply, and ecosystem management challenges; identifies areas needing improvement; and prioritizes actions for the future. In the process, it also brings multiple divisions and jurisdictions together and sharpens Valley Water’s planning focus on multi-benefit projects.

Pajaro River Watershed

Upper Pajaro River Watershed